Margin justifying attachment for typewriters



J. E. MORRIS 3,035,678

MARGIN JUSTIFYING ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS May 22, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 21, 1959 INVENTOR. r/O/M' E. Maze /6 MZM Arm

May 22, 1962 J. E. MORRIS 3,035,678

MARGIN JUSTIFYING ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Sept. 21, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

Jay/v .5. Maze /3 Arrx United States Patent 3,035,678 MARGIN JUSTIFYING ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS John E. Morris, RR. 1, Hopkinsville, Ky. Filed Sept. 21, 1959, Ser. No. 841,180 14 Claims. (Cl. 197-84) This invention relates to a margin justifying attachment for typewriters.

An object of this invention is to provide a device of this character that is adapted to be attached to a typewriter whereby the margin on the right hand side of typewritten matter may be aligned for all the lines of the matter.

It is a well-known fact that typists find it very difficult to properly align the right-hand margins of typewritten matter and mere guesswork will not provide such a result with any success.

Another object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a device of this character that provides a certain number of spaces within each line so that each line will be of the same length and the right-hand margin will be uniform throughout the entire length of the typewritten matter. 1

A further object of the. invention is to provide adevice of this character which may be embodied into any conventional typewriter without materially changing the various parts thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character that is simple, inexpensive, highly efiicient and may be quickly and easily attached to any conventional typewriter.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists of the novel details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a conventional typewriter and showing in dotted lines portions of applicants device attached thereto;

FIG. 2 is a fiagmentary front elevational view on the line.22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1; 1 FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional View on the line 44 of FIG. 3; a

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional viewon the line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view on the line 66 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view on the line 77 of FIG. 6;

' FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view on the line 88 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view on the line 99 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view on the line 10--10 of FIG. 9.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like reference numerals, thereference numeral is used to designate a typewriter of conventional design.

Since the construction of the typewriter 15 is wellknown to those skilled in the art, it is believed that it will only be necessary to refer to and describe those parts of the typewriter 15 with which the device embodying the invention is associated.

The invention is associated with the escapement mechanism of the typewriter 15 which is supported by a frame 16 which includes a pair of horizontal arms 17 and 18 and an upwardly extending vertical arm 19 in which is journalled a shaft 20, on which is rotatably mounted a pinion 21 which engages the usual rack bar 22. Fixed to the shaft 20 is an escapement wheel 23 having teeth 24. A back dog 25, for the pinion 21, is pivoted as at 26 to the escapement wheel 23 and a spring 27 mounted on the escapement wheel 23 is employed to yieldably retain the back dog 25 in engagement with the pinion 21. The frame 16 also has a shaft 28 mounted thereon on which is rotatably mounted a roller 29 which engages the carriage bar 30 of a carriage 31.

The horizontal arms 17 and 18 are provided with aligned depending portions 32 and 33 in which are mounted cone bearings 34 and 35 for pivotally supporting a dog rocker 36 which carries a fixed dog 37 and a pivoted or limber dog 38 which intermittently engages the teeth 24 of the escapement wheel 23 in the usual manner whenever the dog rocker 36 is rocked by the key levers 14. The limber dog 38 is pivotally mounted as at 39' on the dog rocker 36 and a coil spring 40 has one end connected to the dog rocker 36 and the other end connected to the limber dog 38, whereby the limber dog 38 is normally urged in a direction toward a stop 41 on the dog rocker 36.

I Attached to the rear face of the dog rocker 36 is a spring arm 42 which carries a roller 43 which is engaged by the usual universal bar and the tension of the spring arm 42 is controlled by a set screw 44.

In its normal position, the dog rocker 36 is located in a substantially vertical plane with regard to the axis of the cone bearings 34 and 35. The dog rocker 36 is limited in its forward swinging movement by an adjustable stop screw 45 which is mounted in the vertical arm 19, as shown in FIG. 9, and the dog rocker 36 is retained in yieldable engagement with the stop 45 by means of a coil spring 46 which is connected at one end to the dog rocker 36 and at the opposite end to a depending arm 47 of a tensioning bracket 48 that is connected to horizontal arm 18. The spring 46 is normally inclined forwardly and downwardly and the end connected to the arm 47 is positioned at a point in front of and below the cone bearings 34 and 35 which pivotally support the dog rocker 36. The rearward movement of the dog rocker 36 is limited by the engagement of a block 49 on the rear of the dog rocker 36 with an adjustable stop screw 50 that is mounted in the vertical arm 19 of the frame 16. An adjustable stop screw 51 for engagement with the limber dog 38 is mounted in the block 49, to

= limit the movement of the limber dog 38.

A space bar lever arm 52 for the actuation of the dog rocker 36 is pivotally mounted at 53 and 54 on a bracket 55 that is secured to the horizontal arm 18. The lever arm 52 has a power end 56 that is usually connected to the conventional space bar 57.

As previously described, the dog rocker 36 has a fixed dog 37 and a limber dog 38 and the device embodying the invention includes the addition of a second fixed dog 58 which is fixed to the dog rocker 36. The fixed dog 58 is of arcuate formation and extends to a position forwardly of the fixed dog 37. The fixed dog 58 is positioned slightly to the right of the fixed dog 37 and the upper end of the fixed dog 58 extends toward the fixed dog 37, see FIGS. 4, 9 and 10. The dog rocker also has a backward limiting dog 13 pivoted at 12, outwardly of the fixed dog 58 and the dog 13 is tensioned by a spring 11. The dog 13 engages the teeth 24 of the escapement 23 to limit backward movement thereof in the conventional manner.

The invention also contemplates the use of the following parts: A counter escapement 59 that includes a base arm portion 60 that is provided with spaced slots 61 and 62, through which extend fasteners 63 that adjustably secure the base arm portion 60 to the power end 56 of the lever arm 52. A vertically disposed portion 64 ex tends upwardly from a portion of one longitudinal edge of the base arm 68, forwardly of the portion 64, and an L-shaped portion 65 extends upwardly from the longitudinal edge of the base arm portion 60 forwardly of the portion 64. Forwardly of the L-shaped portion 65 a downwardly disposed vertical portion 66 is provided on the longitudinal edge of the base arm 60 and a spring biased coupling 67, that absorbs some of the jar when the typewriter 15 single spaces, extends outwardly from the portion 66 at right angles thereto and is positioned below the power end 56 of the lever arm 52. The base arm portion 69 has an enlarged outer end 68 that has a depending portion 69 integral therewith. Extending inwardly from one edge of the portion 69, at right angles thereto and in spaced parallel relation to the portion 68, is an apertured pivot portion 78. Extending upwardly in angular relation to the portion 69 is an L-shaped portion 71. A substantially U-shaped limiting arm 72 is pivotally mounted as at 73 on the pivot portion 70 and a coil spring 74 is connected at one end to the free end of the arm 72 and at the other end to the base arm portion 60. Instead of connecting the space bar connecting rod 75 to the power end 56 of the lever arm 72, the connecting rod 75 is connected to the coupling 67. The counter escapement 59 may also be made an integral part of the lever arm 52 in new typewriters, but is made as previously described as an attachment to typewriters that are in use at the present time.

Journalled in the frame 76 is a shaft 77 that extends in a plane above and at right angles to the lever arm 52 and the counter escapement 59. The shaft 77 extends through the front of the typewriter 15 adjacent the ribbon control key and has a pointer 78 fixed thereto that is alined with the numbers onthe circular indicator plate 79 that is mounted on the shaft 77 rearwardly of the pointer 78. Thus, the only visible parts of the device are the pointer 78 and indicator plate 79, since the operating mechanism of the device is mounted within the body of the typewriter 15. The shaft 77 is positioned in the upper right hand corner of the body of'the typewriter 15 so that it interferes with fewer standard parts of the typewriter 15.

A counting mechanism 80, FIGS. 4 and 6, is mounted on the shaft 77 within the typewriter 15 and the mechanism 80 includes the following parts: A ratchet wheel 81 is rigidly mounted on a sleeve 82 that is loosely mounted on the shaft 77 with one end thereof in line with the L shaped portion 71. An escapement wheel 83, having teeth 84 thereon and similar in construction to the conventional escapement wheel 23, is mounted on one end of a sleeve 85 that is rotatably mounted on the sleeve 82, with one side of the escapement wheel 83 in contact with one side of the ratchet wheel 81. A back dog 86 for engagement with the ratchet wheel 81 is pivoted at 87 on the side of therescapement wheel 83 that is in contact with the ratchet wheel 81 and a spring 88 mounted on the escapement wheel 83 is employed to yieldably retain the back dog 86 in engagement with the ratchet wheel'81. The back dog 86 engages with the ratchet wheel 81 so that the sleeve 82 and the ratchet wheel 81 thereon, shaft 77 and escapement wheel 83 will rotate simultaneously in a counter-clockwise direction, but will allow the shaft 77 and sleeve 82 with the ratchet wheel 81 thereon to rotate clockwise without the escapement wheel 83 moving. Since the ratchet wheel 81 and the escapement wheel 83 have the same number of teeth, they will cause the shaft 77 to rotate through the same number of degrees per tooth, both clockwise and counter-clockwise.

A bumper or stop arm 89 is rigidly mounted on the sleeve 82 at the free end of the sleeve 85 and the stop arm 89 retains the escapement wheel 83 in contact with the ratchet wheel 81. A collar 90 is rigidly mounted on the opposite end of the sleeve 82 in contact with the arm 89 and the collar 90 is fixed to the shaft 77 by a set 4 screw 91. Thus, the counting mechanism 88 is a single compact unit that is retained in position on the shaft 77 by the set screw 91 that is mounted in the collar 90.

Mounted in the free end of the arm 89 is a stop screw 92 which engages the L-shaped portion to restrain the movement of the lever arm 52 when only single spacing of the typewriter 15 is desired. A nut 93 on the screw 92 retains the screw 92 in adjusted relation to the L-shaped portion 65.

A coil spring 94 is mounted on the shaft 77 forward of the collar 98 and with one end connected to the collar 90 and the opposite end secured to the frame 76, as at 95, a torque in a counter-clockwise direction is given to the shaft 77.

The conventional escapement mechanism previously described includes a dog rocker 36 on which is mounted a fixed dog 37 and a limber dog 38 which functions to step the carriage for each letter or space, one space distance each time the escapement mechanism is actuated. Thus, the escapement wheel 23 will move one notch when the letter or number keys or the space bar are depressed. The invention by mounting a second fixed dog 58 on the dog rocker, provides that an additional space is added when the space bar 57 is depressed.

The dogs 37, 38 and 58 are so spaced that when the invention is not in operation, as will be later described, each time the letter or number keys or the space bar are depressed, the dogs will allow only one notch of the escapement wheel 23 to pass as previously described.

The counting mechanism 80 is so constructed that when in operation the letter and number keys will only permit one space, but the space bar 57 when depressed will permit two spaces.

In preparing printed matter for printing, it is necessary to have both margins even, it is easy to make the left hand margin even, but the difiiculty in making the right hand margin even is well known. The invention in operation will, however, make the right hand margin even and such is accomplished by first typing out the material and then determining how many extra spaces are required in each line. When this has been determined, the pointer 78 is turned clockwise to the desired number which will then provide that number of extra spaces that are necessary to make the line the required length.

When the pointer 78 is rotated, the shaft 77 will be rota-ted, the screw 92 will become disengaged from the L-shaped portion 65 and the counter escapement will be controlled by the escapement wheel 83 of the counting mechanism 80.

As the ratchet wheel 81 is rotated, the back dog 86 permits the same number of teeth to pass as the pointer 78 shows on the indicator 79. With the screw 92 disengaged from the counter escapement 59, the rod is pulled forward further than usual when the space bar 5 9 is depressed. Thus, the engagement of the screw 92 with the L-shaped portion 65 determines whether the typewriter 15 single spaces or double spaces. Thus, after the escapement wheel 83 has rotated back to normal position, the typewriter 15 will single space, the double spacing being accomplished by the engagement of the second fixed dog 58 with the escapement wheel 23.

As previously stated, the ratchet wheel 81 and shaft 77 will rotate clockwise and the arm- 72 will prevent the escapement wheel 83 from rotating clockwise, but when the back dog 86 is engaged with the ratchet wheel 81, the teeth of the escapement wheel 83 will by-pass the arm 72 to return to normal or aline with the zero on the indicator 79.

The shaft 77 may also be rotated by a pawl and ratchet assembly 96 that is attached by a short rod 97 to one of the key levers 14, as in FIG. 1.

There has thus been provided a device which will add spaces to a line of typewritten matter so that the margin on the right will be even throughout its entire length, thus,

the length of the line is not a determining factor in the operation of the attachment embodying the invention. Thus the line does not have to be a certain number of spaces in length with the typewriter on which it is mounted operating for that number of spaces or with the operator endeavoring to perform some complicated method of setting the typewriter. Therefore, in the use of the invention any length of line can be aligned, thus each paragraph can be aligned with any length of line that is desired. it is believed, therefore, that from the foregoing description the structure and function of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

It is also to be understood that changes in the minor details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts can be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the inven ion what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Fatent is:

1. In a typewriter having a frame, a carriage movably mounted on said frame, and escapement mechanism for effecting letter-spacing movements of said carriage, a margin justifying attachment comprising a fixed dog on said escapement mechanism for effecting double Spacing movements of said carriage and a counting mechanism for determining the number of tirnes the escapernent mechanism will cause double spacing of said carriage.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein a space bar lever arm is included in said escapement mechanism and a counter escapement is attached to the lever arm and is positioned for engagement with said counting mechanism.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2, wherein said counting mechanism includes a shaft, a pointer on the outer end of said shaft and an indicator is positioned on the typewriter to coincide with the pointer to indicate by means of the pointer the nurnber of times it is necessary to cause double spacing of said carriage to justify a margin in printed matter.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3, wherein an escapement wheel is mounted on said shaft, a ratchet wheel is mounted on said shaft and a spring biased back dog is mounted on said escapement wheel for engagement with said ratchet wheel.

5. The combination set forth in claim 3, wherein a stop is mounted on said shaft and said stop arm is positioned for engagement with the counter escapement on said lever arm.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5, wherein a spr'ng is mounted on said shaft and connected thereto and to said frame for providing a torque in a counterclockwise direction.

7. The combination set forth in claim 5, wh rein an adjusta le screw is mounted in said stop arm and an L- shaped portion is provided on said counter escapement for engagement with said screw.

8. A margin justifying attachment in combination with an escapement mechanism including an escapement Wheel, a dog rocker, and fixed and movable dogs mounted on said rocker for alternately engaging the escapement wheel, said margin justifying attachment comprising a second fixed dog on said rocker for alternate engagement with said escapement wheel and means for deterrrdning the number of times said second fixed dog will engage said escapement wheel.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8, wherein said means comprises a counter mechanism having a pointer and indicator associated therewith to determine the number of times in one line of printed matter that said second fixed dog will engage said escapement wheel.

10. The combination set forth in claim 9, wherein said counter mechanism includes an escapement wheel having teeth thereon and said indicator has indicia thereon that coincide with the number of teeth on said escapement wheel.

ll. in a typewriter having a frame, a carriage movably mounted on said frame, and escapement mechanism for effecting letter-spacing movements of said carriage, a margin-justifying attachment comprising means on said escapement mechanism for effecting double-spacing movements of said carriage and a counting mechanism for determining the number of es the escapement mechanism will cause double spacing of said carriage.

12. A typewriter having a frame, a carriage movably mounted on said frame, an escapement mechanism for effecting letter-spacing movements of said carriage, a margin-justifying attachment comprising double-space means for effecting double-spacing movements of said carriage, operating means for selectively placing said double-space means in operative or inoperative condition, a manually operable space bar connected to said escapement mechanism for causing double-spacing movement of said carriage when said double-space means is in operative condition and for causing single-spacing movements of said carriage when said double-space means is in inoperative condition and a counting mechanism connected to said operating means for operating same to place said double-space means in operative condition for a selectable number of aotuations of said space bar and for thereafter placing said double-space means in inoperative condition.

13. A typewriter having a frame, a carriage movably mounted on said frame, an escapement mechanism for effecting letter-spacing movements of said carriage, a manually operable spacer bar, means for actuating said escapement mechanism in response to actuation of said spacer bar, said actuating means being movable in one manner to cause double-spacing movement of said carriage and being movable in a second manner to cause single-spacing movement of said carriage, blocking means movable between a first position where it permits said actuating means to move in said one manner and a second position Where it limits said actuating means to movement in said second manner and manually selectable counting means operable by said spacer bar and connected to said blocking means for placing same in said one position for a selected number of actuations of said spacer bar to thereby efiect double-spacing movement of said carriage and for thereafter placing said blocking means in said secend position so that further actuation of said spacer bar will efiect single-spacing movement of said carriage.

14. A typewriter as defined in claim 13 wherein said actuating means is a pivotally mounted lever and said blocking means is a stop which when in said second position permits only a limited movement of said lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 586,351 Brooks July 13, 1897 886,557 Volker May 5, 1998 1,493,621 Farina May 13, 1924 2,011,887 Bell Aug. 20, 1935 2,288,806 Smith July 23, 1940 

